Feeding and eating disorders involve a persistent disturbance of eating or of behavior related to eating that
Alters consumption or absorption of food
Significantly impairs physical health and/or psychosocial functioning
Specific feeding and eating disorders include the following:
Pica is persistent eating of nonnutritive, nonfood material that is not developmentally appropriate (ie, pica is not diagnosed in children < 2 years) and not part of a cultural tradition.
Rumination disorder is repeated regurgitation of food after eating.
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder is characterized by avoidance of food or restriction of food intake that results in significant weight loss, nutritional deficiency, dependence on nutritional support, and/or marked disturbance of psychosocial functioning. Unlike anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, this disorder does not include concern about body shape or weight.
Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a relentless pursuit of thinness, an extreme fear of obesity, a distorted body image, and restriction of intake relative to requirements, leading to a significantly low body weight to the point where health is harmed. This disorder may or may not include purging (eg, self-induced vomiting).
Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating followed by some form of inappropriate compensatory behavior such as purging (self-induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives or diuretics), fasting, or excessive exercise.
Binge-eating disorder is characterized by recurrent episodes in which people consume large amounts of food and feel as if they have lost control. In contrast with bulimia nervosa, episodes are not followed by inappropriate compensatory behavior (eg, self-induced vomiting).
Feeding and eating disorders are more common among women, especially younger women, than among men (1–4).
References
1. López-Gil JF, García-Hermoso A, Smith L, et al. Global Proportion of Disordered Eating in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2023;177(4):363-372. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5848
2. Silén Y, Sipilä PN, Raevuori A, et al. DSM-5 eating disorders among adolescents and young adults in Finland: A public health concern. Int J Eat Disord. 2020;53(5):520-531. doi:10.1002/eat.23236
3. Ward ZJ, Rodriguez P, Wright DR, Austin SB, Long MW. Estimation of Eating Disorders Prevalence by Age and Associations With Mortality in a Simulated Nationally Representative US Cohort. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(10):e1912925. Published 2019 Oct 2. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.12925
4. Uniacke B, Walsh BT. Eating Disorders. Ann Intern Med. 2022;175(8):ITC113-ITC128. doi:10.7326/AITC202208160
Risk Factors for Feeding and Eating Disorders
Incidence of most feeding or eating disorders is higher in females (1, 2). Rates are higher in people who do not identify as heterosexual and in those with a gender identity different from their sex at birth (3). Certain familial factors or societal body image norms may play a role. Genetic factors play a role in the predisposition to anorexia nervosa (4).
Etiology references
1. Mitchell JE, Peterson CB.. Anorexia Nervosa. N Engl J Med. 2020;382(14):1343-1351. doi:10.1056/NEJMcp1803175
2. van Eeden AE, van Hoeken D, Hoek HW. Incidence, prevalence and mortality of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2021;34(6):515-524. doi:10.1097/YCO.0000000000000739
3. Attia E, Walsh BT. Eating Disorders: A Review. JAMA..2025;333(14):1242-1252. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.0132
4. Xu J, Igudesman D, Huckins L, Bulik CM. Genetics of Anorexia Nervosa: Translation to Future Personalized Therapies. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2025 Jun;48(2):293-309.
